The second one counts
by nukrat
Summary: Ryoku echizin, elder sis to ryoma. Befriends tezuka. now tezuka is confused at his feelings for ryoku. she has feelings for him as well... But she has suffered a terrible past. what will happen between them?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1-

Spoiler- RYOKU echizin enters

Ryoku's POV

"Huh" I sighed as I reached home to Japan. I have been living in the United States for a long time and it was time I got back to Japan. The first person I saw was mom.

She cried with excitement and said "oh my gosh! Look how long your hair has grown!"

I looked back. It had been about a year since I had trimmed my hair.

It had a dark shade of brown from the top and developed a lighter shade as it flowed below. It had reached my waist

"che, you already started out with worrying about your hair"

I looked back, it was my older brother Ryoga. To irritate him I gave him the tightest hug ever in history and he couldn't pull back. "Would you stop it already? I hate cheesy family drama" he said finally giving up. I pulled back and asked "I assume ryoma is sleeping"

"Your assumption is correct" said dad. I noticed him concentrating in the newspaper.

But then I remembered that it was my dad who discouraged my fascination

Towards newspapers and I guessed his source of concentration. "Dad, please, I'm back from the states and I think it is time for you to hospitalize me instead of ogling in that pathetic beach magazine" He looked at me and gave me a "plz can I have 5 more minutes" look.

I smiled and remembered at how awesome our family was.

As I entered ryoma's room, I saw karupin lying there. That cat had been my best friend for a long time. So I picked him up in his deep sleep, cuddled him and left him where he was. Somehow, Ryoma's room smelled like a pack of new tennis balls. I saw ryoma lying there and he looked no different than the first time I saw him at the hospital when he was born. That bangs, he still hadn't cut it. I started looking over his stuff when I found that he was awake. He sat up looked at me and I said "surprise!"

He stumbled backwards and I started laughing…

After I explained him that I had come back to stay here for the rest of my life his face softened a bit. Mom called us over to have breakfast.

After the awesome meal I called my childhood friend sakuno. Sakuno is a bit younger than me, but she is still my best friend. She said she was coming over so I got a quick shower and put on some fresh clothes.

"OMG, sakuno, You look absolutely KAWaii"

"Arigato ryoku, you look quite a bit yourself….. look at your hair?! Did you dye it?"

"Nope"

"It looks Nice"

"Hey sakuno…. Nice dress"

She was wearing the cutest printed dress and a bag strapped to her shoulder.

I heard ryoma mumble something from the side… "She is always KAwaii"

I looked at ryoma and saw that he had covered his face with his bangs so... yes... he was shy because he said that.

Then as I turned to look at sakuno, I noticed her blushing, looking at the ground and twirling a few strands of her hair.

I figured something was indeed going on.

'hey sakuno, lets talk in our room"

She followed me there.

I told her that I was also starting school in seiushin high. She told me that I could join the tennis club which I was going to and that I would probably be in the same class and Tezuka kunimitsu, the tennis team captain of seigaku.

I didn't pay much attention because I was aggressively going to ask her what was going on between her and my ill's bro.

"Nothing is going on, ryoku, honestly…

…"

As I looked her in the eye she felt guilty and said

"ye—e—ss w—we—aa—rrreee in a-a rela- ti-tion-ship"

She mumbled.

I screamed out. And ran to ryoma's room

As I burst in, he was sitting there with a handful of tennis rackets and a grabbed him by the collar and lifted him up a few inches and said

"You… you are in a relationship with my best friend and you didn't tell ME! ME! MEEEE!"

"ok.. Fine you know what's happened. Now let me go!"

I didn't let him go, he figured that I would only let him go if he told me all the details.

"Fine. We are in a relationship for 2 years and we have kissed... um.. Uncountable times on the school roof."

I was taken aback.

My brother had kissed a girl who tended to be my best friend and none of them told me…. This was the best pair setting god had made this year….

"Cool"

I let him go and got back to my room and found sakuno.

"goome..ma saiii

I'm sorry I didn't tell you. Only a handful of people know…"

":its ok, no apologization needed. I get it….

Hey.. so…um…

Are there any cute guys in school?

"yeah there is only one.. as far.. as I know" said sakuno

Somehow she blushed again

"who is it" I asked eager to know…

"ryoma-kun"

"SAKUNO! I MEAN ANYONE OTHER THAN MY BROTHER!"

"no,… there's no-one else… I guess"

I gossiped with sakuno for a while and after she left…

I fell asleep….

That was probably the best sleep

because I had school tomorrow…

A/N-

Hi everyone! it's my first time writing a fanfic. hope you all enjoy it.

R&R!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Spoiler- Tezuka meets ryoku.

Ryoku's POV—

I woke up at 7 am this morning and woke up ryoma too.

I don't know how, but he sleeps with his air conditioner off. I can't resist the heat here in japan. It is pretty hot. I wonder if the earth's rotation has turned elliptical, otherwise I wouldn't find any reason because of this heat. It's so hot that I turned the temperature in the air conditioner from 20to 15 degrees celcius and I couldn't find any light night wear to sleep in so I slept in an oversized t-shirt.

"Good morning Ma! I woke Ryoma up to incase you did'nt have to run upstairs every five minutes to wake him up on time."

I looked at his face and found that he was still sleeping while I dragged him by the collar here. Sometimes I wonder, how a person can sleep that much. If I had absolutely nothing to do with nothing in the world, just blank, I would sleep.

I got mad see-ing ryoma sleep so I just took a cold water bottle out from the fridge and poured it over his head.

"Mom, plz, stop pouring water"

And then, I slapped him hard.

"get up Rio, school time!"

"would u stop calling me that! And I don't wanna wake up now!. There is still…2 minutes left till 7:30. I'm gonna sleep!"

I got angrier and slapped him harder. Yes.. I'm aggressive and violent at the same time. Pretty tom-boyish huh? But I'm all pink!

"Listen ryoma , you have to wake up at 7 everyday.. till I die. Right now you have two options one you either wake up now or I dump you on the road WITH YOUR PILLOW!

"ryoku honey, plz be a bit soft on him, he's still a boy you know?"

"Not when I'm here ma!"

Ryoma smirked got up and returned ready for his school is a couple of minutes.

I was confused whether to take the pink Nike tennis bag to school or the pink briefcase.

Anyway, I took Nike and wore my favourite nike shoes… yes thy were pink as well.

I also packed my nike woman's tennis set as well. In case we had any practice.

Every one was looking at me on my way to school. I met a few of ryoma's friends on the way. Momoshiro. He was…a nice guy and well I think I caught him ogling at me a couple of times. I also met eiji, oishi also known as the golden pair….

And Fuji and kawamura too.

Fuji was pretty sweet. Kaido was cool. I mean.. he didn't talk but I found that he played awesome tennis as well. I also told them how I woke ryoma this morning and they all started laughing at him

"hey.. it WAS fun… you can't tease him for that long you know!" I said

"why not" asked eiji

"He's still a boy" teased momoshiro.

I stopped at my tracks.

"listen, it's not fair. If you tease him for that long it's totally pathetic.!"

I got angry and ran ahead of them throwing a tantrum

"hey, your sis's pretty hot" whispered momoshiro

Ryoma slapped him hard.

Me and ryoma tend to fight a lot of times but… we are VERY protective of each other.

Ryoma caught up with me and said

"you wouldn't last a minute without me there. You'd miss me."

"ma brother.. ma life!" I shouted

Ryoma's friends caught up with us and started apologizing. Even kaidoh did.

Since he seemed pretty innocent. I grabbed him by the shoulder and said

"your gonnna be my pet snake.."

He seemed to blush but I didn't care.

Everybody at the back turned a little jealous or for momoshiro I'd say..

ANGRY.

"I forgive you guys and don't try teasing my rio for a long time

And momoshiro, if you are done checking me out would you mind playing a match of tennis with me, after school?"

He blushed and said "I don't play against girls"

"we'll see!"

Every body looked at me as I enetered the school compound.

Especially with my matching pink bag and shoes.

As school started, I got my routine and went into class. I was introduced there and I had to say something about myself there.

"Hi, my name is Ryoku ayama echizin. I'm elder sister to Ryoma echizin. I love reading books and surfing the internet and I am a HUGE anime fan. I'm pretty violent and aggressive sometimes but other wise I'm described as fun.. I love pink and I love Nike."

Every body had a warm welcome and behaved pretty normally. Except for this girl.

She had black hair. Jet black. She insulted me a few times calling me names but.. I waited for my opportunity.

As we were given to read in English or say something in English, every one's face turned dark except for this guy who sat beside me and that girl.

The girl went first, then the guy and then me.

I didn't keep track of where we were reading so I asked the teacher I could read my own story.

I started

"**1960's was the golden age of America when they started their discoveries towards space. Niel Armstrong was the first man to set his foot on the lunar land following his mission commander Buzz aldrin. As time went by, the Americans developed their rivalry with Russia but succeded in winning 9 times in a row defeating them in the worst whitewash the history has ever seen…**

I couldn't finish, the whole class started clapping. I was confused.

The girl looked irritated and submerged in her own anger, but that guy shook hands and said "You speak good English"

Seriously I wondered….

They were clapping because I had good English…

Cool…

The teacher asked me how I speak that good and I said that I'm and American citizen like ryoma. The girl commented and said

" teacher there's no proof, she just maybe took and English tutoring.."

The teacher looked at me with disbelief. I quickly ran all the stuff through my bag

…. Ichigo's mini sword, rackets , copies.. ahahh! My passport. I gave it to teacher

And she checked it through and said AMERICAN BLOOD the girl started.. tearing up…

I don't have the worst idea WHY..

Well as I got back to my seat I noticed the guy looking at my bag.

"hey, you do pretty well English too"

"thanks"

"um so… uh.. what's your name"

'Kunimitsu Tezuka"

"waiiit, You are the seigaku tennis captain?"

"hmn"

"omg, it's a pleasure to meet u. Can we be good friends?"

"I don't ..kn..

I cut him

"please?"

"hmn."

Tezuka had um.. a blend of hair. It was a bit golden brown at the top and then it was golden at the bottom. He seemed to be very calm and quite for a boy and he was good looking too..

Well .. guess what.. I'm friends with the whole tennis team now.

At lunch I found ryoma his friends and sakuno's group and told them to go to the roof so we could have lunch together.

And then I remembered that tezuka wasn't there.

So I went to find him.

I found him eating his lunch lonely.

"hey tezuka, the whole tennis team is on the roof having lunch. Mind coming over?"

"um.. I cool here"

"hey plz come on!"

When he didn't respond. I grabbed him and his lunch and dragged him to the roof

He was too polite to rebel.

"Hey look who's here" said eiji

"whoa captain what happened? How did you decide to come over?

Did the sun rise in the west today?" asked momoshiro

"no, I dragged him here. Enough chit chat, lets start lunch. I'm hungry."

The others wanted to make fun of him but I warned them so badly they did'nt say a thing

"so, You are inui right?"

"yes I'm a data collector."

"I see. So, inui, tell me is tezuka happy to have lunch here?"

I looked over at tezuka and he seemed shy.

"according to my data..

I cut him "tezuka is 99.23% confused and the rest normal, am I right?"

'you are a math genius! You are 10000000% correct!"

Everybody looked at me.

"sakuno, so got any tennis skills lately?"

"I'm very bad at it.."

"don't worry, I'll teach you!" I said with glee

I had brought lasagna and everybody was astonished.

They mostly at mine and I ate theirs.

There was a bit left and tezuka didn't have any.

I grabbed a piece by the chopstick and put it close to his mouth and said

"eat up, u'll probably like it…"

Then he looked straight at me and his eyes injected mine like the sharperst needle ever.

He kept staring at me and it's sting was SWEET. It's like he seemed to have all the calmness in the world. I understood his calm personality and he was so, so, SENSUAL.

Then I remembered that I did not want to fall in love with the wrong guy again, because that is the reason I came to japan, to run from my past…

I broke the gaze and said

"it's not poison, I can guarantee you that!"

He opened his mouth and I fed him the lasagna .

"its good"

And he didn't say a word more.

When I got back,

"ryoku, what just happened between you and tezuka?" asked sakuno

"nothing.. nothing at all!" I lied she was about to look me in the eye and the bell rang.

I ran to class, but I had this thing thumping inside me. I didn't know.. but.. it was weired.

After school, I found out the scheduled for the girls tennis practice and I had a match with momoshiro.

I quickly changed into nike…

After I came out of the girls changing room, I reached the courts an the boys were practicing.

I had a 3 set practice match with ryoma and defeated him THEN AND THERE

Everyone was stunned to see me play but they were mostly checking me out.

I also beat momoshiro head on…

Better than anyone.

Then kaidoh, fuji, oishi, kikamaru, kawamaru

And tezuka was next.

He was the only one who didn't ogle at me today except for ryoma….

I think he'll be too good for me.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter3

Spoiler- tezuka takes intrest

Tezuka's POV

Ryoku.

She seemed like any other girl, but friendlier. I don't know but, she is different. She is the first girl to be my friend and I don't know anything.

At lunch today, she fed me a little bit of lasagna and I looked into her eyes for the first time. She was happy jolly and filled with love but there was sorrow there in her eyes as well. I don't know how will I take her. Whenever I am close to her I can literally smell her. Her hair smells like chocolate but she smells like lavender. It's not only a smell, she emits an sensual aura that makes me feel weird at heart. And now, I am here. Playing a match with her. I tried my signature shot, drop shot and she couldn't return it the first time, but returned it every other time.

Man, she plays exceptionally well.

Then, it was about time I won.

But, she was the only player who could return my shots properly.

I couldn't whitewash her. Why?

After the match I looked at her. She seemed to have the most beautiful eyes on earth.

They were light brown. As the sun shown brightly on her, her hair seemed to glow.

She had the most beautiful hair.

It was long and reached up to her waist.

It was tied in a pink hair band. And her bangs seemed to move with the wind.

"hey um captain, who are you looking at?" asked momoshiro

"ooh, captain, you bad, bad dog!"

"20 laps for momoshiro!" I said

"aww, captain, I'm .."

I cut him " you should have thought about it before you said it"

"come on Tezuka, Give the kid a break" said ryoku

"I don't know what he said, but I think you should forgive him, even if he said something bad, because you all are good friends right?"

Then she came over to me put her hand around my shoulder and looked at me.

Her eyes seemed so pleading. She was so peaceful, cute, caring and loving.

Wait, what am I falling into. I broke the gaze and went away to my bags.

"fine then momoshiro, your laps are cancelled."

"ok, I'm a 1000000000% sure that the sun has risen from the west today." Said inui

Ryoku interrupted and said

"inui, your calculations are wrong. You are 1% sure that the sun has risen from the west and 80% sure that you don't know what's going on. And since you don't, You tried guessing the last 20%. Am I right?"

"exceptionally correct." Said inui in awe.

I looked over. It was pretty weird that our own seigaku data master was being defeated by a GIRL?

"who would like a bit of inui juice?"

I started heading another way. So did the others.

"inui, Can I taste that juice? Please?" asked ryoku

I was about to protest when she already drank it.

I waited for her to puke out, but she swallowed it and said,

"Inui, I godda teach you how to improve this."

She took some stuff out from her bag, a sugar pack, water and then she ran somewhere and came back with mint leaves on her hand.

'where did you get mint?" asked inui

"I found a herb tree there" she pointed somewhere

Then she mixed all those and drank it..

And then came after me.

"tezuka, taste it please"

"i-i- th—ink"

"oh, please will you?

It's not poison. I'll guarantee you that."

I remembered the last time she said it, it was true. What was the harm now?

I tasted it.

OMG it tasted like….. the best health drink ever.

"thanks"

Then she ran too the others and persuaded them to have it.

After ryoma finished consuming half of it, the others got curious and started tasting it.

And they all finished the whole bottle.

After school, she told me that we would all go home together

" I have work in the tennis council" I said

" fine, then we'll wait for you.."she said

The first girl in ages would wait for me and make every one wait for me as a GOOD FRIEND. So, this is how friendship is like. Wow, I love friendship.

As we all went home, she hugged everyone including me.

I didn't know whether to hold her, move away or what. I just stood there in complete and utter surprise. It seemed like I LOVED HER or something.

What? How could I have fallen in love, in 1 day? Gosh,

Something was wrong. I was wrong. Ryoku. she was right.

And I went home got a shower, did my home work and went to bed.

But I couldn't sleep.

I went in the internet and researched that how I could have fallen in love

And yes. I did.

And I never slept.

I felt like talking to her.

My phone rang, I picked it up

"tezuka, hey!"

It was ryoku.

"if u r wondering how I got ur number then ask ryoma.

Btw, we are having a party with all the regulars in my house tomorrow. My parents will be away as well. So do you mind coming over after school? Please?"

"um—ok" I answered

"fine then, thanks a lot and you play awesome tennis. I hope u succeed in life.

Have a good night! And yes… sweet dreams!"

She cut the line.

She sounded like haruhi suzumiya but a more nicer version.

And I felt sleepy. Was it because she talked to me? Or she said sweet dreams.

Before I could think about it. I fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter-4

Spoiler- feelings realized…

Ryoku's POV

Tezuka.

He's one of the handsomest men I had ever seen. He was calm, quite, patient and a little dominating, but he was SENSUAL. By that, I mean on a scale of 1 -100 he was 100out of 100. Man, I had fallen I love. AGAIN. I made that mistake once but now I better be safe than sorry. I still remember how that ass ZACH had hurt my feelings, brainwashed me and then tricked me against my own friend but most of all, he USED me as a protective covering. Why? Why? Am I rembering all this?

But, what will I do with Tezuka? Then I remembered one thing. The second one counts too. The second love. In INUYASHA it was kagome, in NARUTO it's hinata. I've also seen pretty much many movies on this concept as well.

Done with it. I'm not insecured with falling in love with tezuka. Because its ok. He's nice and he's not pathetic like Zach. But he doesn't like me. Fine, then I wont show him my real feelings… until time comes.

I had a lot of stuff to do. Get a shower, study and get ready for a party.

Cool.

I put on a loose tank top and denim shorts.

I returned to my room.

And studied for an hour or two.

I texted everyone about the party, except for tezuka.

So, I decided that I will call him.

And then, I did talk to him, but he responded so moodly, that I couldn't make the conversation bigger.

Next day-

I went to school and on my way, I found tezuka there.

"hey!"

"hmn" he nodded.

I ran to him and talked to him about the match yesterday.

"I thought you were going to break your wrist with that drop shot! You should mind it a bit easy."

I looked down at his wrist. It seemed a bit swollen.

I held it and said

"YOU ARE INJURED! And you played AGAINST ME! Why didn't you tell me about it!?"

'you are the worst friend!"

I shouted and started walking forward

Tezuka's POV

She's mad with me.

I made her mad.

I made the girl I love mad.

Now what!

Think tezuka think!

I went caught up with her and said

"sorry. I should have told you"

"why are you telling it to me now?...

…

…

Huh? Ok, I forgive you. But let me make It clear.

I always expect my frnds to tell me EVERYTHING!"

"ok" I replied.

A little smile came across my face in 5 months and 3 days.

"what are you smiling for?" she asked, bumping my shoulder with hers.

"nothing, just thinking how u forgave me in a second"

That was the longest sentence I ever said to anyone.

We all had lunch together at the roof and this time I shared my meal with everyone and everyone had mine. It was actually like a buffet.

The school was over and everyone walked to ryoku's house.

Ryouku's POV

Ater everyone came in, I told them that they had to take shower.

The donstairs bathroom belonged to the boys and the upstairs the girls.

" wow, you really have long hair" said sakuno, as I sat in the bathtub.

"hmn.. but you have too!" I said

"ryoma gave me chocolates today" she said

"oh really?"

"yeah"

"when did he first kiss you sakuno?"

"um, it was a sudden one you know.

I was walking ahead of him and he just took me into an alley, pushed me against a wall and kissed me.

"AWWWW that is CHO CHWEET kawaaaiii!"

I wished someone cared like that for me.

"so, you have a sight for tezuka right?"

"no.. what are u talking about?" I lied but I couldn't bear lying to her.

"ok.. yes I do, but I don't think he likes me…"

"well.. lets see.."

After I came out of the bath, I took out my loose pink top

And wore it with my purple denim shorts.

I came out an saw the most

SEXIEST man alive on this earth.

Tezuka.

A/N-

HEY… I got no reviews..

Waaa! No fair…

Come on.. if you don't review, how will I understand my mistakes?

And sorry for small chapter I didn't have time.

The next one will be..

Pretty.. lovable…

Nukrat….


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Tezuka's POV

After I came out of shower, I noticed an angel standing in front of me with s loose t-shirt and shorts. I was amazed. I did'nt know what to do. She was looking at me. Straight.

Looked into her eyes. It seemed like it was the best decision I made in ages.

Yes. There it was. She was the only one, who could tell me everything with her eyes. That was cool. I never moved in or out. I stood there until…

" Ryoku san, the baking components are ready, u can put it in the oven now!"

Sakuno said as she came here.

She saw us, eye locked. And wanted moved away before ryoku said "yes, I;m here!"

And she had left.

Wow. That was…I donno.

Why did she look me in the eye FIRST? Is she IN LOVE with ME?

Impossible. There were still many things I wanted to ask myself and I would do anything to get their answers.

Ryoku's POV

I donno what just happened.

I told sakuno every thing and she said that she would help me out.

Then I wondered whether the guys were getting bored. So I went into the living room and found out they were gossiping about something. So I told ryoma to tell them that they can play with the boomerangs or they can play tennis if they want to.

Then, after a while when me and sakuno went into the backyard with the juices, I saw a boomerang coming right towards me. I tried to duck and "WWHHAAM!""

It hit…. TEZUKA! What the hell was he doing there?

Last time I saw he wasn't in front of me.

Now he was there facing me, eyes closed and A CUT SHOULDER!

"tezuka, wha—at did—u-u do!"

And then I grabbed his hand and dragged him to my room

"it's okay, it's just a cut!" he lied

"I told you that you couldn't lie to me right? And I guess that's what you are doing now?"

He was quite.

I sat him on his bed, opened my closet and took out the first aid kit box.

Then I cleaned the little cut in case it didn't get septic and then paced a little bandage and wrapped his arm in a anti-muscle pain band and….

Tezuka's POV

She, was dressing my wound. I protected her. From a boomerang…

How lame. But now, again. She was close to me alone…

And she looked into my eyes dearingly. I think we could have stayed like that forever.

Suddenly she broke the gaze…. And told me to wait downstairs

Meanwhile

(writers pov)

Sakuno had persuaded the regulars to help tezuka out and confess his feelings.

But what if they get extra laps?

A/N:

I got no….. reviews..

This chapter was pretty much cliché as well…

What will happen?


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